This year, Lance Armstrong’s last Tour de France could become the world’s greatest ride for people living with cancer. Even after winning the Tour de France a world record six consecutive times, Lance considers surviving cancer his greatest victory. This year, more than ever, Lance says he is riding to help others win the battle against cancer. “My life’s purpose is abundantly clear,” Lance said. “I’m riding for cancer survivors everywhere –- to help champion their cause, and help them live strong.” As he goes for an unprecedented seventh straight Tour championship, Lance is urging his friends to sponsor his ride by joining Team Lance and supporting the Lance Armstrong Foundation.

The top Washington-area employer and student honorees for 2005 were recognized by the Marriott Foundation for People with Disabilities for their achievements in the Foundation's "Bridges ... from school to work" program. First developed in 1989 by the Foundation in Montgomery County, Md., the Bridges program places young people with disabilities who are preparing to exit high school in jobs with local employers.

The trustees of The Duke Endowment have approved 427 grants totaling more than $39.5 million for organizations in North Carolina and South Carolina. The action came at the trustees' June meeting in the foundation's Charlotte office.

Lewis Y. Faber, Helen Rubinstein and Yale Capital collaborate again to present a Lew Live concert. This year's concert, the third in an ongoing series of spectacular entertainment events, will benefit The Kids Foundation (a non-profit organization whose mission is to raise critical funding for organizations that provide therapy and educational services to children with autism).

The Blue Foundation for a Healthy Florida, Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Florida's (BCBSF) philanthropic affiliate, has approved $500,300 in grants to be awarded this summer to nine nonprofit Florida organizations that are positively addressing health care needs in their communities. The funds will be used by the organizations to provide services such as mobile clinics for Hispanic children, mental health counseling, disease management programs, dental care services and health care and education for the homeless and teen runaways.

The Lisa Beth Gerstman Foundation ("Foundation") is proud to announce that it has received a substantial grant from the Christopher Reeve Paralysis Foundation ("CRPF") to support its mission of sending physically disabled children in the Northeast United States to summer camp. The Foundation was awarded with a CRPF Quality of Life grant in the Health Promotion category. The Foundation is named in honor of Lisa Beth Gerstman, daughter and sister of the founders. Lisa, whose life ended in a tragic summer camp bus accident in 1970, serves as inspiration for the Foundation's work.

Nemacolin Woodlands is rallying around the community to sponsor a family-fun event that will raise critical dollars for needy people in Uniontown. Named for Nemacolin's chubby bird logo, "The Flight of the Fat Bird 5K Walk/Run & One mile Waddle Fun Walk" was formerly held as a triathlon. This annual fundraiser that supports The Salvation Army has been modified to welcome participants of all ages and physical abilities.

Thanks to the millions of people who give blood safely and anonymously, thousands of lives are saved every day. But the chances of receiving a safe transfusion -- or any transfusion at all -- vary enormously from country to country. Some 60% of global blood supplies goes to 18% of the world's people, leaving 82% of the global population inadequately covered.

Procter & Gamble's Tide Coldwater -- the first detergent specifically designed to deliver deep cleaning in cold water -- announced today the partnership grantees of the $100,000 donation benefiting the National Fuel Funds Network (NFFN).

Country superstar Trisha Yearwood canceled plans this week in order to travel along with William Austin, head of the Starkey Hearing Foundation, and a dozen volunteers (including doctors and audiologists) to give the gift of hearing to over 1000 underprivileged children in Guadalajara and Marida, Mexico.

Estimated charitable giving reached $248.52 billion for 2004, a new record for philanthropic giving in the United States, the Giving USA Foundation announced today. The new Giving USA report released today is the 50th anniversary edition of the yearbook of philanthropy. Giving USA is published by the Giving USA Foundation and researched and written at the Center on Philanthropy at Indiana University.

Tom Kite was named this week's CRESTOR(R) (rosuvastatin calcium) Charity Challenge winner for his first-place standing entering the final round of the Booz Allen Classic. The CRESTOR(R) Charity Challenge is a season-long competition that recognizes and rewards the tournament leader entering the final round at 35 PGA TOUR events. Through the program, now in its second year, AstraZeneca will donate $3.5 million a year to designated health and PGA TOUR charities. At each of the selected tournaments, a $100,000 contribution will be made, supporting the PGA TOUR's "Drive to a Billion" campaign which celebrates the spirit of giving that has helped the TOUR and its tournaments approach the milestone of $1 billion dollars in charitable giving.

This past June 8th, Tim Hortons coffee was an eye opener for kids too as an astounding $5.1 million US was raised on Camp Day! Over 2,400 Tim Hortons participating stores across Canada and 260 stores in the United States donated their entire coffee proceeds, in addition to funds raised through various Camp Day events and activities, to the Tim Horton Children's Foundation. This amount substantially exceeds last year's total of $4.4 million US.

Trust and Reputation Among Top Three Factors Influencing Donations to Nonprofit Organizations; 'Business of Trust' to Be Explored at AMA Nonprofit Marketing Conference July 11 - 13 in Washington, DC. A consumer perceptions survey released today by the American Marketing Association (AMA) and the American Marketing Association Foundation (AMAF) reveals that for 78% of Americans, trust in a nonprofit organization is the most important factor when considering a donation. Organizational trust far outweighs personal experience, with factors such as personal knowledge of others having donated and receiving support from an organization trailing all other factors that could influence an individual's reason for giving.

As part of its commitment to making a difference in the local community, Mercedes-Benz USA (MBUSA) awarded a $10,000 scholarship to the Boys & Girls Clubs of New Jersey State Youth of the Year. The Mercedes-Benz USA Youth of the Year Scholarship was presented to Jazelle Hunt of Jersey City at the Boys & Girls Clubs of New Jersey's gala dinner held at The Garden Manor in Aberdeen, New Jersey on May 25. Jazelle Hunt, an advanced placement student at McNair Academic High School, who plans to attend Howard University in the fall, was recognized for her outstanding commitment to her family, school and her community.